FIG. 7 hereof illustrates a basic structure of a prior art electric pump apparatus 100 disclosed in JP-A-2006-2569. As shown in FIG. 7, the electric pump apparatus 100 includes basic elements, i.e., a vane pump 101 and an electric motor 102 for driving the vane pump 101. More specifically, a mounting bracket 105 is carried on a machine base 103 through an anti-vibration member 104, and an electric motor 102 is secured to the bracket 105. The electric motor 102 has a flange portion 106 mounted to a bell housing 107, and the vane pump 101 is mounted to the bell housing 107 through a damper ring 108.
The vane pump 101 is driven by the electric motor 102 acting as a drive source to pump out liquid. A coupling 112 mechanically interconnecting a motor shaft 109 and the pump shaft 111 is accommodated in the bell housing 107. Although meshing noise is made from the coupling 112 due to rotation of the motor shaft 109, a soundproof effect of the bell housing 107 prevents transmission of the noise to the outside of the apparatus 100, thereby keeping silence of the outside.
The electric pump apparatus 100 shown in FIG. 7 has the following problem. Tubes (oil drawing tubes, oil discharging tubes and electric wirings etc.) are disposed around the electric pump apparatus 100. It is desirable for parts of such tubes to pass under the electric motor 102. However, the electric motor 102 is placed on the installed bracket 105 and hence no tubes can pass under the electric motor 102. As a result, the tubes are disposed in such a manner as to bypass the electric motor 102. This results in an increased floor area occupied by the electric motor and the tubes.
While there is the demand for effective use of the floor area, it is desirable to reduce the floor area occupied by the electric motor and the tubes.